And everything changes!

I realised the other day, that now that I am doing my own thing I really do have more time to myself. Sure, I work late nights and bigger deadlines, but when a job finishes, there's usually some time before the next one comes in. I don't really have a social life - the one with big dinner gatherings, shopping trips and getting plastered on the weekends - so it's not like that has really increased since I left full time work. I am finding I can read more and spend more time on things that should be a higher priority - like exercise (*groan*).


Hubby and I have been planning to go snowboarding quite a bit this year - and have just finished buying all of our gear (which is 1000 times better then renting crappy, old and pre-sweated in gear). I highly recommend that if anyone is buying their gear for the first time, that you learn what you need in the way of boots, boards and clothing (sizing, board type and size, waterproof ratings and quality, etc) and then get your butt online and buy it from a country who's snow gear hasn't been marked up by 300% - say the USA or Canada. I wasn't sure about boot size - I have ended up buying two pairs to try out while I'm snowboarding. Total cost? $130.00. Both worn only once and because I know it matters to some, they are branded - Burton.

Anyways. Along with snowboarding we also would like to do a road trip with friends (see previous post) on the cheap, and also go to Cambodia (because again, it's cheap). The reason for the planning is because before now I have never had the capacity to spend time away from work. I was always restricted by annual leave, pressure from management and the feeling that if I took time off at all, I'd be letting down the team. My previous job was a winner - we were allocated 4 weeks annual leave. The company would shut down for 2 1/2 weeks over Christmas, which meant I was left with 1 1/2 weeks leave during the year to use. Then, for two years in a row, the company decided that to ensure no one had leave built up (because technically, it's money owed by the company and is recorded as a debt), they shut down for a week in June. It would have been a great idea if I could plan my life around Christmas and one week in June. But sadly, never the case. 

So now I have the authority to take time away. For weeks if I need to or days. Anyways, the funny thing is that yesterday, Hubby was offered a very lucrative position (experience, not money!) for 6 months within the planning side of the company he works for. It's massive. People would be dying to have gotten the opportunity. He's decided to take it up. Which means for 6 months, he's on Monday - Thursday, 6am - 6pm and on call Friday through till Sunday. It's a project management position. Which means he's tied to his job until December. Which means nothing until then. 

I don't mind so much - more time to save and plan I guess. Not looking forward to the tired stress he'll have, but otherwise it's good. I just find it hilarious that I get out of that environment (after years of him bragging he didn't have to do it) and he goes straight in. Haha. Will be good experience for him, in more ways than one. 
   

James made the joke yesterday that he may finally get "The Office". Previously, he stares at the show and mutters under his breath, "This is stupid, it doesn't make sense." Oh, yes it will.